Alternative Jet Fuels Get $20.9 Million Boost in Russian Tender

Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry
has offered 628 million rubles ($20.9 million) to develop
alternative fuels for civil aviation, according to a tender
issued on a state website.

The tender, announced Jan. 31, is for developing cryogenic
fuels and biofuels for use in aircraft in order to reduce
emissions and the impact of climate change. It also calls for
studying the use of natural gas and alternative energy sources,
including solar power, microwaves and lasers, in aviation.

Russia, the world’s biggest hydrocarbons producer, has
lagged behind efforts in the U.S. and Europe to develop
renewable fuels for airlines. ASTM International, an American
organization that sets worldwide technical standards for the
airlines, in July 2011 approved fuels that include a mix of
kerosene and organic waste.

The winner of the Russian contest will be selected in March
and is expected to present the study’s results in 2015,
according to the ministry’s tender documents.